For my first project in Sketch Up, the instructions were simple enough: use the simple blocks we had learned to design in class (cubes, rectangles, cylinders etc.) to build a structure. The structure didn’t need to be fancy, or large, or intricate. Unfortunately, I tend to incorporate those aspects into my design and thus found myself in a web of misaligned shaped and uneven corners. At one point the ground levels of my structures walls had ascended into mid-air. At the end of my first attempt of modeling a center shop or agora of sorts, the results were most definitely unexpected and left me completely frustrated. Take a look:

Fortunately, after some practice, and advice from my fellow classmates, I got the hang of aligning objects on the same plane and was able to rectify my center shop disaster. Here is a picture of the finished design:

Having gone through my first attempt at 3D modeling with Sketch-Up, I took away a few key things from my mistakes and the experience as a whole. Going through my process in more detail, I can say that it is important to be persistent and to work collaboratively. Things will eventually fall into place.

• Process: I went about constructing my block piece by forming extended archways with the arch block and the long block. The long rectangle blocks were also used to fill in the four-walled structure. Long wedges were added on top of the wall and cylinders at each corner to complete the structure. I grouped the blocks making one wall so that I could duplicate it and make the second wall with less hassle.
• Challenges: I faced quite a few challenges while making my structure such as aligning he blocks on each plane so that they were straight and connecting at the same level.
• Reflection: My structure turned out to be somewhat of a hovering tower at first. There was part of the long wall that did not start at the same height in space but I got the corners to meet in the end. I think my creation is significant because it looked cool throughout the process of designing it. Although it needed some adjustment it was all a part of the learning experience. Knowing what I do now I would look my building over with extra attention to detail and from different angles to make sure that all of the blocks are aligning in both height depth and width. I would also challenge myself to make a more complex structure.
• Advice: I would advise people doing this project for the first time to take their time, start small and with a simple idea and slowly build upon it while constantly looking at their structure from different angles. I would also suggest that they ask for help because there is never one way to do something and it help to get a different perspective.